Jimmy Briscoe

My Ebony Princess Jimmy Briscoe

Discovered by music promoter Paul Kyser at a talent show in Baltimore in the early 1970's, five young men from Baltimore inspired by the Jackson 5 and calling themselves Jimmy Briscoe & the Little Beavers made quite an impression with the public; which led to a number of singles released on Atlantic Records beginning in 1971, and then for the Buddah Records subsidiary Pi Kappa. A full length album followed entitled "My Ebony Princess" which was reviewed as a "top album pick" by Billboard magazine in 1974. The group's sophisticated vocal harmony set them apart from the other groups, though lack of distribution left them relatively unknown to the public. The group's original lineup was Jimmy Briscoe, Stanford Stansbury, Kevin Barnes, Maurice Pulley, and Robert Makins. Bobby Finch replaced Makins in 1977 and the group dropped the "Little" from it's name becoming Jimmy Briscoe & the Beavers. Changing with the times, the group released some adventurous disco style albums during the late 70's and eventually disbanded, never really finding the proper distribution they sorely needed to survive. Featured here for the first time in the digital domain is their critically acclaimed 1974 full length album "My Ebony Princess." All selections have been newly remastered.